THERE'S NOTHING BEYOND THIS POINT

John put the cigarette down and walked a little further down the street.

He had no particular place to go...he just walked and did some thinking.

He thought a lot about women, his mother, his sister, and his former

girlfriend who'd dumped him for the lawyer.  She was a bit of a tramp

at heart he supposed.  It was because he had no money.  He had never been

good at making money or the kind of friends that helped one make money.

What a tragedy his life was...then he laughed.

From out of the darkness a man came, his voice was deep and threatening,

"give me your wallet or I'll sheath this blade in your ribs!"

"Fuck you", John replied.  The man came on. John managed to wrestle the

fellow to the ground and give his face a good pounding. He pulled himself

together and walked on, only to discover a few minutes later that he'd been

cut.  The wound was in his side and quite nasty.  He wasn't quite sure about

what to do...he had no money to go to the hospital and there would be

questions from the police.  Damn.  He managed to stop the bleeding with

a glove. He held it tightly to his side and collapsed on a park bench.

There wasn't a lot of liquor left in his bottle but he swallowed it all.

He felt very tired, the last thing he remembered was pressing he glove

tighter to his side. He feel into a deep sleep.

"Are you quite alright?"

John opened his blue eyes and saw a very pretty woman. Her hair was dark and

her skin was pale.  She wore a very funny hat and clothes that were a bit

out of style. "Hello." John answered stupidly...trying to get his head

around the night before and how he'd come to be sitting on this bench...or

rather lying.  He raised himself up and felt a sharp pain in his side.

"Ohhh," he groaned rather instinctively.

"My goodness you are injured...and you've lost a lot of blood!"  The girl's

dark eyes looked startled and concerned.  John wondered why?

"I think I was mugged last night, I'll be ok...I just need to rest here for

a little while.  I sure could use a good stiff drink."  He fished in his

pocket but found only a little change.  "I'll fetch  you something," the

girl said and she darted away.  John didn't suppose she'd come back...why

should she?  He watched some children playing nearby, he was afraid to

try and stand, his head felt very odd.

His thoughts drifted to his ex girlfriend Margot, and he wondered if he

might actually be dying?  He could see her at his grave, all sad, with

puffy eyes.  Then he laughed...what a morbid fantasy!  The bitch!  He

fumbled until he found a cigarette and a match.  The smoke was wonderful.

Not as good as a drink but wonderful. There had been a lot of blood but it

was dark and dried...not that noticeable since he wore dark clothes.

He pushed his fingers through his hair and worried that he must look a mess.

Did it matter, no one cared.  People in the park were used to seeing

vagrants...what did one more matter?  Matter, matter, matter...what an evil

word he thought idly as he smoked.  He felt like going back to sleep...

probably the loss of blood. To his surprise the girl returned.  She pressed

a small bottle into his hand. He took off the lid and drank almost half

the contents.  Instantly he felt better and remembered that he hadn't

thanked her.  "You are a life saver," he said.  "It was nothing, just

something that had been in my car for a long time...a gift I think."

John took a slightly smaller drink and enjoyed the burn. "Is there some

place I can take you?" The girl asked, my name is Annette by the way.

"A lovely name and no, I will be fine right here...its as good a place

as any.  God provides the ceiling and the government provided this nice

bench I suppose."

The girl looked very concerned, even a bit distraught. "Don't worry

sweet girl, I've pulled through tighter spots than this." He said.

"Isn't the sky beautiful this morning. So blue, I've never seen it

this blue...or maybe I just never looked so closely. I'll be sure and

pay more attention to the sky from now on. I can't believe I never

noticed the sky before...everything is perfect, don't you think so?"

The girl stared hard into his eyes, "I may as well tell you the truth,

my name isn't really Annette...although it once was, a very long time

ago."

John  finished the bottle and asked the obvious question..."then what

is your real named then?"

She smiled ever so slightly and put her hand on his shoulder, it felt

soft...warm, and comforting.  He was not afraid although he guessed her

answer.

"I am called The Reaper, and its time we were going."